Unic Press UK: The Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “Court”) ruled Thursday that it has jurisdiction over the alleged deportation of the Rohingya people from Myanmar to Bangladesh.
The Chamber’s ruling means that the Court has jurisdiction; and would hear the case – deportation allegedly committed against the Rohingya people. The reason behind the ruling being that “an element of this crime (the crossing of a border) took place on the territory of a State party to the Statute (Bangladesh).”
The Pre-Trial Chamber I, which is composed of Judge Péter Kovács, Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut and Judge Reine Adélaïde Sophie Alapini-Gansou, reached a decision by majority.
Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut appended a partially dissenting opinion with regard to procedure, saying that “the Court cannot rule on its jurisdiction in relation to the alleged deportation of members of the Rohingya people from Myanmar to Bangladesh at this stage, but that it remains open to the Prosecutor to present a request for authorisation of an investigation to a Pre-Trial Chamber under article 15 of the Statute”, the ICC said in a Press Release issued Thursday.
